“Oh, this is so exciting,” Penny said, gathering her things.
“Who should we interrogate first?” Elaine asked.
As the two women hurried out of the room and into the hallway, Kitty followed with Chica by her side. The evening loomed ahead of her, dark and foreboding. Dinner with her diving group wasn’t going to be some kind of party game where they unveiled the murderous villain at the end, then enjoyed hors d’oeuvres together. Someone―maybe someone sleeping just a room away―had hated Coleman enough to stab him to death and stuff his body in the reef.
Her phone buzzed and Kitty glanced at the screen. It was from Leander.
Be careful, please.
We will. Kitty tucked the phone back into her pocket. It occurred to her that keeping herself out of harm’s way might not be as difficult as keeping Penny and Elaine from attracting the ire of a killer.
Chapter Seven
“I have noticed that even those who assert that everything is predestined and that we can change nothing about it still look both ways before they cross the street.”
― Stephen Hawking
Kitty set the small red bowl filled with salsa on the table in the courtyard. Leaning slightly to the left so she could see into a small room at the far end of the outdoor space, Chica sat near the door, where she had followed Angelina and Mark into the kitchen. It was sweltering even in the shady outdoor area. Chica must be really feeling the heat near the double row of burners. Mark and Angelina seemed to be having an argument, although their voices were soft. Angelina’s shoulders slumped, she looked at the ground and shook her head. He stepped forward, speaking intently to her. Chica didn’t seem alarmed, so whatever reason she had for shadowing Angelina, it wasn’t because of Mark.
“I don’t know if anybody’s really hungry for dinner,” a voice said and Kitty jumped.
“Hi, Andrew. Angelina thought it would be better if we stuck to the schedule, at least for meals. Sometimes it helps for people to have something to do.”
He shrugged, sweat beading his face. He looked at the bowls of rice, black beans, corn, and roasted chili peppers on the table. “Fish tacos. I was really lookin’ forward to these. Now I think I’ll just have a few beers.”
Andrew always seemed to be having a few beers, so Kitty assumed he meant a few more, which wasn’t a pleasant idea. He’d been in the main building a few minutes ago, going over his pictures from the last dive with Ren and Jenny. The tension between them seemed to have disappeared.
“It’s been a long day. I think a little food is a good idea for everybody.” Usually she was more of a chocolate fountain and strawberry margarita girl herself, but even she had to admit that it wasn’t the right time to indulge.
“Maybe so.” He sat in one of the chairs and toyed with the brightly embroidered tablecloth. The needlework patterns of fish, turtles, and parrots matched the artwork on the dishes. Kitty had thought they were charmingly colorful yesterday, but now they seemed garish in the light of Coleman’s murder.
Placing an ice cold bottle of water at each place setting, Kitty thought of Detective Soledad’s questions about Texas. “Andrew,” she said, trying her best to sound casual, “I never caught what you do back in the States.”
True to form, Andrew perked up at the chance to talk about himself. “I own a construction company. We’ve built luxury hotels all along the Gulf for the tourism industry. Just finished our twelfth a few months ago.”
“Hotels? That’s not your usual construction job, right? I can’t imagine such a big project.” She also couldn’t imagine Andrew running a company where he had to be polite to a lot of people. Maybe he was exaggerating the ‘owning’ part. Or maybe he had a CEO who interacted with all the clients.
“You have no idea.” He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face. “Even though it’s hot as blazes here, it’s better than Houston. The only way I get through it without stabbing someone is to take one of these trips and get some time down there in the reef, just forgettin’ everything.” A half a second later, he seemed to think about what he’d just said and let out an awkward-sounding laugh. “Not literally stabbing anybody, of course.”
“Of course,” Kitty murmured. Had the police mentioned to anybody else that Coleman had been stabbed? If that wasn’t common knowledge, then how did Andrew know about it? Kitty felt a surge of unease and couldn’t help glancing at the array of knives at the table.
As she moved to the other side of the table, she wondered why Andrew would ever want to kill Coleman. Maybe treasure really was enough to bring out the murderer in some people.
Jenny and Ren came into the courtyard, holding hands. Jenny had dark circles under her eyes. “Dinner ready?” Ren asked, the cheerfulness in his voice sounding strained.
“Almost, I think.” Kitty glanced back at the kitchen and saw that Mark had his arm around Angelina now, his lips pressed to her temple. She was leaning into his side as if for comfort.
Angelina was young. She didn’t know that a woman needed to put her foot down, to set boundaries with a man, and to make sure she was treated better than a servant.
Taking a deep breath, Kitty reminded herself that she knew very little about the couple, and it was likely her own past was making the situation seem more serious than it was. Kissing in the kitchen was better than fighting through dinner, anyway.
Jenny took a seat at the table, her face pale. Kitty wondered if it was the shock of Coleman’s murder or the heat that made her look so unwell. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and slacks. Maybe she’d run out of clean clothes but Kitty felt a few degrees warmer just looking at her outfit. Jenny rearranged her plate and silverware, fiddling with the fork but looking as if her thoughts were elsewhere.
“Did you two get everything you needed for your project?” Kitty asked.
Jenny grimaced and said nothing.
“Just two left,” Ren said. “We went out again a few hours ago, but we didn’t find what we needed.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d gone diving again after…” Of course there was no reason why they couldn’t. The police had only said not to leave the island. They had never barred them from diving for the time they had left on Cozumel.
“Yeah, Lisa and Christina went with us. We hired a boat from the little shop a few blocks away. Angelina told us they couldn’t take us out anymore so we looked around. We’re headed out tomorrow morning, too.”
“What happens if you don’t find the last two on your list? Can you substitute or rewrite the paper?”
“Substitute?” Jenny asked, her voice tight with anger. “Like, with a seastar or something? Maybe a cute little clownish?”
“Jen, she’s just asking,” her boyfriend said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She shook it off with a grimace. “Easy for you to say. Your daddy pays for everything. I’m going to lose my scholarship if I don’t nail this project.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but she was clearly furious.
“I’m not going to let that happen. I swear, we’re in this together.”
“You’d better not hitch your cart to this horse. Isn’t that what your mother said? That I would just pull you down? Me and all my family?” She swiped at the tears on her face.
“You know I don’t listen to―”
“Well, you’d better, or you’ll be in the same place I am. Hustling for money and on the verge of losing your place in the program.” Taking a deep breath, she stood up. “Never mind. I’m gonna go see if they need help in the kitchen.”
There was a silence at the table, broken only by the sound of Andrew popping open a cold beer.
Lisa, Joan and Christina walked through the back door of the dive shop and made their way toward the table. Lisa looked recovered from the trauma of the morning. Her lipstick was back in place and her dark bob was perfectly smooth. She was wearing a short sleeved pale blue shirt and knee-length matching shorts. Kitty thought they looked a little bit like the complimentary pajamas they passed out on the cruise sh
ips.
Christina claimed a place near the end of the table and grabbed a water bottle. She didn’t look as put together as Lisa, but she peered eagerly toward the kitchen, as if famished for supper.
Hovering uncertainly, Joan seemed unsure which side to choose. There were plenty of chairs, and both Lisa and Christina looked at her expectantly. Then as if unwilling to make a decision, Joan headed to their room. “I’ll be right back. I forgot that new little bottle of hot sauce I wanted to try.”
Christina shrugged and focused on Kitty. “Who was that strange-looking guy from the embassy? It seemed like you two were close.”
Kitty took a second to swallow back a response about who exactly was strange. Maybe if Christina didn’t speak like Miss Piggy, Kitty would give her a little more leeway. Maybe.
Snorting with laughter, Andrew said, “Yeah, that dude is a bit freaky with the dyed hair and weird eyes.”
“It’s not dyed.” Kitty heard the angry note in her voice and tried to speak more calmly. “He has Waardenburg’s Syndrome, Type II, a genetic condition characterized by a combination of heterochromia iridis, white forelock, premature graying hair…” Also, possible malformations of the kidneys, heart, colon, and varying degrees of hearing loss. But he hadn’t volunteered any information, except to say his parents were deaf, and Kitty certainly wasn’t going to ask the state of his colon.
Andrew held up his hands, laughing. “Whoah, Nelly. Looks like you got all his info. I’ve heard of women like you. They need your DNA and a genetic test before they get involved. Anyway, I was just asking a question.”
Working with tour groups, Kitty had honed the skill of censoring herself. It was coming in handy tonight. “His name Leander Estornell. We met a few months ago when the embassy sent him out to help with another… problem.” Understatement of the year.
“So,” Lisa said, squinting in a way that was supposed to imitate a smile, “You too are real close?”
“No, not really.”
“Cool. I was thinking we should invite him along to the Blue Dolphin tonight. So, what’s he like? Does he party?”
It had been so long since she’d felt jealousy, it took her by surprise. It was a simple question.
“I’m not sure. Not that I know of.” She couldn’t resist adding, “You should ask him.”
“I think I will.” Lisa gave an exaggerated wink.
Jenny, Angelina, and Mark emerged from the kitchen. They carried small containers of warmed tortillas, a large bowl of salad, and the special cream sauce for the tacos.
“The fish is almost ready. I’ve got a few more pieces frying and then we’ll start serving up the food,” Mark said. He sounded tired. “I want to apologize for everything that’s happened, and thank you all for being understanding about the situation. We’re going to try and stay on schedule. Except for the boat trips, of course. The police are still examining them.”
“Oh, no apology necessary. You don’t have to go to all this trouble. I’m sure everybody here agrees we can take care of ourselves until we’re free to leave,” Kitty said, her heart aching for this man who was stuck dealing with tourists after his uncle was murdered. “If there’s anything we can do, please ask.”
He nodded, his chin up and face set in a stiff smile. Clearly, it was important to Mark that he continue to act as host.
Joan emerged from her room with a small green bottle and took a place at the table. She looked miserable, probably from the heat.
The back door of the shop opened and everyone turned to look. When Penny stepped through the doorway, Kitty started to smile. She was pulling rolling luggage, and Elaine followed behind her. They were dressed in a matching purple pantsuit, and despite their penchant for wearing fabulous gowns and flashy jewels aboard the cruise ships, they had dressed conservatively enough today. Except for the color of their outfits and the fedora perched on Toto’s head, they could have passed for any of a dozen elderly tourists she’d seen around. They were clearly undercover.
“Everyone, these are my friends who were slated to go out on an evening flight, but they’ve been asked to stay in town for a few days.” Kitty signed as she spoke. She didn’t bother to mention that Penny and Elaine were deaf, and Toto was the service dog. If anyone couldn’t figure that out from what was before their own eyes, a more detailed explanation wouldn’t help them.
“Let me show you the room,” Angelina said, standing up.
Kitty followed them to translate. It took a few minutes to deposit their luggage in the room next to Kitty’s.
There were several empty places at the table and Penny chose one next to Lisa. She scooted away from Toto, an unhappy expression on her face.
Penny signed, “Don’t worry about Toto. She’s a good dog and doesn’t put paws on folks unless she has call to.”
Kitty translated, but gave Penny a look. She’d never seen Toto put paws on anybody at all. Now she sounded a bit like an attack dog.
“Oh, the fish,” Angelina said, jumping up from the table again.
“I’ll help,” Lisa said. Kitty suspected she was trying to get away from Toto. A few minutes later, when they returned to the table with a large platter of fried fish, Kitty noticed that Lisa snagged a chair between Andrew and Angelina, far from where Toto was.
Chica started to move toward Lisa, and Kitty called her back. Her face went warm as Chica ignored her and inserted herself directly between Lisa and Angelina. “I’m sorry, that’s really not like her.”
“It’s fine. Isn’t it, Chica?” Angelina rubbed her head and smiled.
Lisa leaned away, clearly unhappy. The small hairs on the back of Kitty’s neck went up as she watched Chica perched beside Angelina, her German Shepherd head looking ridiculously large and much too close to the edibles on the table. Kitty wasn’t afraid Chica would eat from someone’s plate. She was protecting Angelina. But from what? Or whom? What could Kitty possibly say to Angelina that would make sense?
Just as they started to pass the food, the door opened yet again and Leander appeared. “Oh, excuse me. I didn’t know it was dinner time. Just checking in on everybody here.”
Kitty stood up, relief sweeping through her, and waved him to a seat across from her. “I’m sure there’s plenty.”
“Yes, please. Sit down.” Angelina motioned to the chair across from her. “We’re used to people coming in and out at all hours.” Kitty thought Angelina gave a pointed look at Jenny, but it was probably her imagination. Lisa, Christina and Joan were the ones who stayed out late at the bars.
Mark stood to shake Leander’s hand, and after casually greeting everyone, he sat down. Meeting Kitty’s eyes, he gave her the barest wink. She held his gaze and slowly made the smallest signs she could. Watch Chica.
His gaze slid to Chica, and she could see him turning the scene over in his mind. Leander had grown up with a service dog, just like Kitty had. They didn’t wander over and sit next to other people. They were companion dogs in the truest sense. It didn’t matter who had the tastier scraps or better scratches behind the ears. They stayed beside you. You were their person, and that was their place.
Lisa selected a few pieces of fresh pineapple and passed it along, then turned to Andrew, to her left. “How was your interview with the police?”
There was an awkward pause. Kitty translated for Penny and Elaine, and they both leaned forward, eyes bright.
“Fine. They seemed to think that it was real interesting that I was from Texas. So what if I am? About twenty five million other people live there, too. And I bet some of them come to Mexico for vacation.”
“It’s because my uncle Coleman is… was Senator Larson’s brother,” Mark said. He didn’t look up as he speared a few slices of papaya from the platter in front of him.
Kitty did her best to scan the faces at the table, making mental notes. There were quite a few people who weren’t at all surprised by the news. Andrew clearly hadn’t made the connection and it took him a second or two before he could go on.
“Yes. The Larson family asked the embassy to send someone to assist the local police.” Taking a sip of water, Leander looked around. “I’m going to do my best to make sure the investigation goes quickly, and everyone is released to return to the states as soon as possible.”
Christina let out a little sigh. “No offense, but I don’t think an embassy secretary is going to convince these guys to let us go.” Her babyish voice carried through the courtyard.
As Kitty translated, she saw Penny and Elaine make matching expressions of dislike. They couldn’t even hear Christina and they didn’t like her.
“I have degrees in psychology, criminology, and forensics. I have a master’s of science in foreign service, with continuing education in international relations from Georgetown.” Leander placed a piece of fried fish in his taco and drizzled on the cream sauce. “That might help a little.”
Kitty finally remembered to close her mouth. She’d heard the first three degrees before, when she herself had questioned how Leander could possibly be useful to them in their first murder investigation. She’d just assumed that was the end of the list. Taking a sip of water, she tried not to feel woefully undereducated.
“Huh.” Christina didn’t sound convinced and decided to focus on her plate, forking some salad out of the bowl and sprinkling the green leaves with sunflower seeds. “So, you’re qualified to take our fingerprints and be diplomatic about it?”
“That’s about right, but not before I eat,” he said, smiling.
Chica let out a low growl and Lisa jumped in her chair. “Your dog is awful,” she exclaimed.
“I’m so sorry.” Kitty hurried to Chica, slipping a finger under her collar. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her. She’s never like this.” Unless she’s near a murderer.
“Look, she’s trying to eat Angelina’s food,” Joan laughed, pointing.
Danger at the Dive Shop (A Starling and Swift Cozy Mystery Book 3) Page 7